FIRMS - Fishery Fact Sheet - Southern Indian Ocean Demersal longline Patagonian toothfish fishery

Southern Indian Ocean Demersal longline Patagonian toothfish fishery - SIOFA subareas 3b, 7

Fishery Fact Sheet

Fishery report 2023

Southern Indian Ocean Demersal longline Patagonian toothfish fishery - SIOFA subareas 3b, 7

Owned by

South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) – more>>

Related observations

Location of Southern Indian Ocean Demersal longline Patagonian toothfish fishery - SIOFA subareas 3b, 7

Map legend

Geographic reference: Southern Indian Ocean
Spatial Scale: Regional
Reference year: 2021

Approach: Fishing Activity

Fishing Activity
Fishing Gear: Set longlines
Type of production system: Industrial
Fishery Area: SIOFA subareas 3b and 7; ;

Seasonality: Austral summer …

Harvested Resource
Target Species: Patagonian toothfish
Associated Species: Blue antimora; Grenadiers nei

Means of Production
Vessel Type:

Fishery Indicators
Nominal Effort: Number of vessels
Production: Catch

Table of Contents

Fishing Activity - Post Harvest - Management - Status and Trends - Source of Information - Bibliography

Fishing Activity

Type of production system: Industrial

Fishery Area

Climatic zone: Polar. Depth zone: Slope (200 m - 1000 m). Horizontal distribution: Oceanic. Vertical distribution: Demersal.

The fishing activities take place mainly in the SIOFA subareas 3b and 7, particularly in the management units Williams Ridge and Del Cano Rise.

Geo References for: SIOFA subareas 3b and 7

Resources Exploited

Patagonian toothfish - Southern Indian Ocean

Target Species

Dissostichus eleginoides

FAO Names : en - Patagonian toothfish, fr - Légine australe, es - Austromerluza negra, ru - Клыкач патагонский

Associated Species (Bycatch)

Antimora rostrata

FAO Names : en - Blue antimora, fr - Antimora bleu, es - Mollera azul, ru - Антимора (=хек голубой)

Macrourus spp

FAO Names : en - Grenadiers nei, fr - Grenadiers nca, es - Granaderos nep, ru - Макрурусы

Vessel Type

Catch Handling and Processing Equipment

Freezer

Flag State

Australia

Spain

France

Japan

Korea, Republic of

Fishing Gear

Set longlines

Seasonality

Austral summer (December-February) and winter (June-July)

Environmental limitations

Seasonal weather conditions

Ports

Reunion, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia

List of fishery Indicators

Fishery Indicators

Type	Measure	Value	Unit	Time period
Nominal Effort	Number of vessels	5	vessels	2015-2021
Production	Catch	155	tonnes	2021
	Catch	188.1	tonnes	2020
	Catch	242.5	tonnes	2019
	Catch	503.7	tonnes	2018
	Catch	157	tonnes	2017
	Catch	1.2	tonnes	2016
	Catch	17.3	tonnes	2015
	Catch	13.5	tonnes	2014
	Catch	55.7	tonnes	2013

Post Harvest

Fish Utilisation

Gutted, headed and sold frozen

Management

Management unit: Yes

Legal definition

Toothfish fishery

Jurisdictional framework

Management Body/Authority(ies): South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA)

Mandate: Management.

Area of Competence

Maritime Area: High seas.

Management Regime

TAC are established on a yearly basis or whenever the information comes available for the two management units Williams Ridge and Del Cano Rise. Fishing activities may take place also outside the two management units but these are considered IUU fishing.

Management Methods

Conservation and Management Measure 15 with focus on Sustainable exploitation - Binding

Fishing activity-related measures
TAC of 55 tons is defined for Del Cano Rise, and 144 for Williams Ridge. (CMM 15/2021)

Status and Trends

Catches of Patagonian toothfish have been decreasing over the last years, and effort has also decreased in recent years, from higher values in 2018.

Source of Information

SIOFA Secretariat (2023). Overview of SIOFA Fisheries 2023. Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA), 64 pp.

https://siofa.org/sites/default/files/files/SIOFA-Fisheries-Overview-2023_redacted.pdf

Bibliography

Conservation and Management Measure for the Management of Demersal Stocks in the Agreement Area (Management of Demersal Stocks)

http://www.apsoi.org/management/CMM/15

Fisheries and Resources Monitoring System